Veggie Revolution: Smart Choices for a Healthy Body and a Healthy Planet

This account of how one family has explored the connections between food, health, community and the environment may inspire others to look beyond stereotypes to discover the many dimensions of a vegetarian lifestyle. Writer/biologist Sally Kneidel and her college-age daughter, Sara Kate, have compiled more than 100 recipes along with preparation tips, nutritional guidance and advice on how to eat at restaurants and at other people's houses with ease. While much of the health information is now commonly known, the Kneidels' well-reasoned defense of vegetarianism, focusing on humane treatment of animals and the environment, is worth considering. They describe U.S. meat industry policies that affect animals, independent farmers and the environment; and the impact of factory farm practices on health and community relations. Particularly inspiring are Sara Kate's description of how food fosters community and social change in the grassroots village in Mexico where she worked, and the vegetarian co-op she co-formed, and brief interviews with young vegetarians. Best suited for young adults who are vegetarians or considering a vegetarian lifestyle, this work may also prove useful to parents of young vegetarians who want a more complete understanding of vegetarian nutrition and menu options. (Oct. 15)